The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) brings together collections of art, history and natural science under one roof to tell the extraordinary stories of California and its people. OMCA connects collections and programs across disciplines, advancing an integrated, multilayered understanding of this ever-evolving state. With more than 1.8 million objects, OMCA is a leading cultural institution of the Bay Area and a resource for the research and understanding of California's dynamic cultural and environmental heritage.
OUR BUILDING
Situated between serene Lake Merritt and busy downtown Oakland, the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) is one of the most significant architectural examples of mid-century modernism in the United States. When it opened in 1969, OMCA's design by Pritzker prize–winning architect Kevin Roche was acclaimed for its bold and innovative premise: a museum that also serves as a vibrant urban park and public space.
The Museum integrates architecture and landscape architecture and indoor and outdoor spaces into one building program. Its terraced roof gardens and central courtyard, designed by noted landscape architect Dan Kiley, continue to serve as a village green for Oakland residents and visitors from the Bay Area and beyond. Visitors to the Museum will discover three levels of galleries, with gardens on each level that form the roof of the level below. Broad flights of stairs and trellised walkways connect one level to the next and guide you through the landscape designs,
The Museum is continuing its $62.2 million renovation and expansion project overseen by the San Francisco architectural firm of Mark Cavagnero Associates, honoring the original architecture and landscape vision of Kevin Roche and Dan Kiley while upgrading visitor amenities and integrating the museum experience. Modifications encompass new exhibition and programming space, seating, and modernized lighting for better viewing of the collections. A new 90-foot canopy over the Oak Street entrance enhances the Museum's street presence. The Art and History Galleries are now open to the public; the Natural Sciences Gallery and classroom and education facilities will be completed in 2012.
OVERVIEW AND HISTORY
"The mission of the Oakland Museum of California is to connect communities to the cultural and environmental heritage of California. Through collections, exhibitions, education programs, and public dialogue, we inspire people of all ages and backgrounds to think creatively and critically about the natural, artistic and social forces that characterize our state and influence its relationship to the world."
When the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) first opened its doors more than forty years ago, it brought together three historically independent disciplines—art, history, and natural sciences—under one roof. This progressive multidisciplinary approach was to celebrate the many facets of California. Our collections—comprising more than 1.8 million objects including seminal art works, historical artifacts, ethnographic objects, natural specimens, and photographs—and our programs explore and reveal the factors that shape California character and identity, from its extraordinary natural landscapes, to successive waves of migration, to its unique culture of creativity and innovation.
OMCA has reopened its galleries after a transformation that touches almost every aspect of the 300,000 square-foot Museum and builds on the founders' original multidisciplinary and civic-minded intent by improving integration of OMCA's collections and programs, strengthening its role as a public forum, and creating new opportunities for visitor participation. The collections are animated by innovative interpretive tools and interactive features; and new gathering spaces and program areas engage visitors and encourage them to share their own perspectives, questions, and stories.
OMCA nurtures its deep ties to the community by offering many educational and outreach programs. We welcome schools, scholars, local audiences, and all visitors to participate in our events and activities and to discover their place in California's past, present, and future.
